Jutta Kirberg: “Up here, you can see Cologne from every angle!”
She is a successful entrepreneur and the driving force behind the award-winning Kirberg Catering: Jutta Kirberg loves food, hospitality and her hometown of Cologne.
Gregor Schwellenbach: “Social rules tend to be a bit more relaxed in Cologne”
For Cologne-based composer Gregor Schwellenbach, music is a means of communication – a way of bringing people together and understanding what makes them tick. In this interview, he talks about his musical beginnings, his ambivalent relationship with Carnival and what makes Cologne techno so special.
“As long as people are discriminated against, we are still needed.” Andrea Löwe on Cologne’s queer sports club SC Janus
SC Janus is Europe’s largest queer sports club. Why it still matters in 2026 – and why sport here is about much more than just training.
Kathrin Marchand: “I love the Rhineland’s easygoing vibe”
For elite athlete and doctor Kathrin Marchand, her hometown of Cologne is both a training ground and a place to reset. On 6 March 2026, she lines up at the Winter Paralympics in Milan.
Frank Schätzing: “Cologne could be a little New York”
It was “The Swarm” that cemented Frank Schätzing’s reputation as one of Cologne’s best-known literary exports. We sat down with the bestselling author to talk about why he prefers to write about his hometown, his favourite running spots, and his thoughts on heroism in our times.
Elke Kuhlen: “Cologne has an imperfect charm”
As the director of Cologne’s c/o pop Festival, Elke Kuhlen is something of a local celebrity. We found out about her favourite places, her personal music tastes and why Cologne is better than Abu Dhabi.
At home in Cologne: an interview with Eike Herwig, Ray Lozano and Jenny Thiele
Eike Herwig, Ray Lozano and Jenny Thiele have been in the music business for years. We caught up with them in Cologne’s Mülheim district to talk about the city’s musical diversity and what it is that makes Cologne so special for artists.
Music producer Bazzazian: the man with 100 fears
Anyone who’s anyone in Germany’s current hip-hop scene is on Bazzazian’s new album, “100Angst” (“100fear”). We spoke to the producer about his home city of Cologne and the things he fears. And we let you in on whether it’s a good idea to approach him on public transport or not.
Albi X: “I experience discrimination from both sides.”
Albi X knows all about discrimination. As a teenager, he was harassed both due to his ethnicity and for being an albino. But instead of letting it get him down, he embarked on a successful career as a musician, transcending boundaries with his multilingual lyrics and captivating audiences with his high-energy dance performances.
